Radio frequency identification (RFID) cards or tags use radio waves to transfer data between a RFID device and an associated reader. This enables the tracking and identification of the person or item carrying the tag. The uses for RFIDs are widespread and numerous. They are used in the workplace, the shipping of materials, electronic toll systems, and various other applications. These tags are directly or indirectly a part of daily life, although their use is often not seen by the consumer.
Currently, there are many issues with these types of tags. Each country sets their own standard for the operable frequency of the card or tag. In turn, a tag with a particular radio frequency used in the United States is not compatible with a system operating on a different frequency in Japan. Additionally, there are issues with security involved in the use of RFIDs. For instance, there is no safeguard to ensure that a user of a card or tag is the person authorized to use said card or tag. The cards also only provide data as to the type of good(s) it contains and gives locational information as to when and where the card is scanned by an associated reader, hence only limited data information may be transmitted. This limitation on data transfer is also further exacerbated by the employment of near field communication (NFC) in such devices. NFC requires a RFID tag or card to be within a specified distance, often mere centimeters, to the corresponding reader in order to be read. This prevents the use of such tags or cards in real time tracking and identification applications.
In the business world, items such as hourly billing, employee activity, and security are handled by different systems and departments within an institution. The employer must rely on the information provided to them by the employee for information regarding billable hours, which can result in inaccuracies that cost companies vast amounts of money. Another potential security concern arises with the employee's proximity to their workstation. Most systems have a timed logout after a period of inactivity, but such a time frame allows for potentially unauthorized access when the employee steps away without manually logging out of the system. The shortcomings of the current RFID cards or tags are numerous. In short, there is no way to have real time tracking information such as direction, time, location, and security safeguards.